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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. net — after costs
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — for catching
  6. ball — a dance
  7. face — part of the head
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chest — a box
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. net — in sport
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chest — of your body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com